Physiotherapists are most often entirely focused on the individual when it comes to decision making in treatment. Taking a treatment decision based on an individual is important because what works for one patient may not work for another.

One of the most common problems that physios have to deal with is musculoskeletal (MSK) problems, which can be caused by a number of things. The recommended treatment plan for these issues can depend highly on the individual but a leading expert has now suggested that physiotherapists should consider yoga.

Sarah Shone, a physiotherapist and extended scope practitioner in orthopaedics and MSK at Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Trust in Wigan, said yoga can be used to motivate people with these problems to self-manage and understand their condition.

Ms Shone has been using yoga to help her patients for three years, as it can help in a number of key areas.

She said the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommendations for the management of lower back are movement instruction, muscle strengthening, postural control and stretching and yoga can help in all of these areas.

Once she became trained as a yoga instructor, Ms Shone was awarded funding from the trust after she presented the benefits of yoga-based therapy to an ‘innovation panel’ of senior managers.

She has since developed yoga classes for both groups and individuals whose lack of flexibility has affected their physical health. 

Speaking to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), she said: "Typically they have six sessions of yoga, and then they’re discharged into self-management, or referred to a local exercise scheme." 

The trust's rehabilitation programme has now been expanded to include yoga, pilates and cardiovascular training for people with back pain. 
Because of this, Ms Shone is key to raise awareness about the benefits of yoga among physios and said there are plans to set up a specialist interest group for the profession.

So all the physios out there, get up and prescribe some yoga!